SYTYCD:4 - Week 1

June 17, 2008 · Filed Under popmedia 
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I’m so glad this show is back. It’s up there with Survivor & The Amazing Race as the very best realitytv shows going. And yes, my goodness yes, it’s so far and away better than Idol that it,s not even funny. The format, the judges, the voting, the contestants, the host — all better!

This season is shaping up to another good one. I don’t really have any die-hard favorites (on the level of season 2’s Allison) yet, although I could easily see Will, Jessica, & maybe Chelsie H. emerge from the pack.

SYTYCD brings out a rather primal/visceral reaction from me, in terms of what I like in/from the dancers. I find that the less I intellectualize it & the more I just feel & enjoy it, the better it is. It’s almost the exact opposite of how I approach Idol, in terms of analysis and breaking it down. Combined with the overall superiority of the show (especially with the judges, who happen to be choreographers that have actual, you know, current credibility & chops in the profession, so they actually speak truth rather than risk spouting crap like the Idol judges do so regularly…)

A quick word here about the choreographers. I’m not sure I’d want to ever really see Mia Michaels do her work & practice her craft (after all, who really wants to see sausage get made?). But, my goodness does that woman get beautiful results! The routine that she created for Mark & Chelsie H. was amazing, as her routines usually are. I don’t pretend to understand the creative, artistic mind, but I do know enough to appreciate good art when I see it — and more often then not, Mia Michaels choreographed routines are good art.

So, that’s another reason SYTYCD is a superlative show - it produces good art & makes it accessible to many folks (like me) who wouldn’t normally consume it.

I like the girls attractive, but mere superficial looks aren’t enough. Thus, this year I’m leaning more towards Jessica the most, closely followed by Chelsie H., Courtney G., & Kherington. Susie may have learned a lesson, because she toned things down nicely in week 1, and was well served by putting on more clothes & less makeup - but I don’t think that it should keep her in for the long haul. Comfort & Chelsea T. are worthy finalists, if only because they have great character and obvious talent. Kourtni L. is on the border for me - I think she could emerge as a serious contender, but I could just as easily see her wash out pretty quickly. I think I’d prefer the former. Katee? In week 1 I thought she & Joshua gave the best, “most pleasant surprise” performance. But I don’t think I care if she stays much beyond this next week or two.

The guys must be graceful & powerful but still manly. If you’re too gay you can’t really butch it up & fake it — it shows through - you can be nice, pleasant, & engaging, but just not a great, manly dancer is all (witness Chris, Matt, & Thayne). But guys like Will, Joshua, & Twitch have got it in spades. That’s why they’re my favorite guys so far this season. Mark is right behind them, just because he’s such an engagingly quirky & unique dancer. Marquis & Gev? Meh. They do nothing for me, they’ve done nothing to really stand out that much so far, so I hope they don’t do anything to drag any of the girls down too far before they get eliminated.

Overall, I agreed with the week 1 eliminations (Jamie & Rayven), in that I didn’t disagree with them. Truth be told I might have sent Matt home instead of Jamie, but overall it was a machts nichts to me. I was more annoyed by America putting Will & Jessica into the bottom 3 instead of Gev & Courtney G. — that was inexplicable & uncalled for.

All in all, though, it’s enough that SYTYCD is back & we get to enjoy it for the rest of the summer.

Yay for us!

-ghp

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